Goodnight Sweetheart
by Torii-Butterfly
Summary: A tearjerker written based on events which happened to me last February. When Gohan dies in a Motorbike accident, how will his family and friends react? And most of all, how will Videl take it? Please R&R people, bt be warned for slight angst and mature c
1. Chapter 1

**Goodnight Sweetheart**

Chapter One – Goodnight Sweetheart

The leaden skies darkened as the stretcher was wheeled out, into the ambulance. Goku cradled Chi-chi and Goten, as they watched from the rain-washed sidewalk. Tears escaping all of their eyes, they stared after the ambulance as it sped off on its way to the hospital. A strange silence hung over the city, though the cars continued to sound their horns, and person after person escaped the rain. This was a grim time for the Son family, but the accident had been as unexpected as ever; it couldn't happen to Gohan…it just couldn't. Only a matter of hours ago, Gohan had set off on his motorbike for a ride. He had been gone a long time when Bulma had called, sounding shaken and telling Gohan's parents and younger brother that they needed to come to west City; though she did not explain why. Her words tumbled out of her mouth, rushed and frantic – a manner not used by Bulma often. Upon arriving, they had seen the horrific scenario clearly. Though he had survived so many horrific things, life had caught Gohan off guard one too many times. Unconscious, his breathing unsettled and frantic, it was only obvious that he had been involved in the accident considerably. Overcome with grief, the Sons watched as his body bled, waiting for the ambulance.

"C'mon guys…" Bulma said; barely audible as she began to usher them into Capsule Corp.

Inside, Vegeta sat, unmoving and silent. His usual air of pride and arrogance was gone. On a normal occasion, he would be almost certain to call the situation a 'pathetic human accident', but no sound came from his unmoving lips. Trunks was sat in the corner, also apparently dumbstruck. His face was tearstained; he looked paler than his mother, and seemed to be shivering in fear. He was recalling involuntarily the slamming of brakes, the screeching of tyres…and then…then he heard Gohan's agonised yell of distress. He shook even more violently at this point, not noticing as his mother and the Son family sat down. Try as she might, Bulma could not bring herself to heighten the mood. She did not even have to explain. There was a certain iciness in the room, though the heaters were on as warm as they could go. Goku held the sobbing Chi-chi firmly in his warm grip, though he was weeping, too, his cheerful glint gone. Goten remained solitarily hugging his knees, and wondering what would happen to his big brother.

"Tea…" Bulma asked shakily, but received no response. She could not expect anything else. It was unusual for Vegeta to be so subdued, and the same for Trunks. Likewise, Goku had always been so happy, even at the time of his own death, and now, here in front of her sat a different Goku. One who expressed sadness instead of happiness, or in the case of an enemy, anger and determination. It was as if they knew something that she didn't. That was a stupid theory, really. It was obvious that they could tell, like so many times before, whether Gohan was winning or loosing in the battle for life.

Goten twitched sadly from beside his mother.

"Mom," he said, in a voice that did not sound remotely like the happy go lucky seven year old boy that he was..

"I wanna go see Gohan." He sobbed. Chi-chi gasped and shook worse than ever, before uttering a mousy 'no' underneath her breath. Goten knew that he was too young, but he could almost tell that he might not see his brother again.

"I'll take you and Goku if you like." Bulma offered. Just then, Vegeta spoke for the first time all evening.

"And who would stay here? I want to see Gohan too. In case you're wondering, I can tell he's…" Bulma shushed him, mid-sentence. She looked sorrowfully from Goten to Trunks. But she could not pretend that she was not surprised. Vegeta had called Gohan by his name, and not 'Kakarot's first brat' or anything else to that effect. This shook her even more. It was a sign almost, that Gohan's time was growing near.

"We'll all go." She decided. "If Goten is mature enough to ask, I'm sure he'll be able to see Gohan." She sobbed a little, a crystalline tear journeying sadly down her white cheek.

Was this it for him? Surely it couldn't end like this. He had so much left…and yet, here he was, unable to move, and his bandages coated in blood. His eyes were closed, leaving him staring into nothing but the darkness of his own mind. _Maybe this is it, maybe I am dying_, he thought to himself. Just then, he heard a voice. It seemed to come from far away, but he still remembered it as Goten's. He tried t reach out for his little brother, but his arms would not move. He could no longer sense their ki, but could recognise each voice distinctly from when they spoke to him. Following Goten came his father, telling him that he would pull through. Trunks was next, explaining the way that he had always looked up to Gohan. As Trunks finished speaking, Gohan wanted to weep, but he was only shedding tears of blood.

"Gohan." Said a voice that Gohan wasn't quite sure if he knew or not. The only person it could have been was Vegeta…but Vegeta had never called him Gohan before…at least…not that he could remember. Vegeta's almost consoling words, telling him to live up to his reputation as a Saiyan, and not to give in shocked Gohan. Chi-chi was second last, sobbing heavily. What Gohan would give to tell her it was okay. Her crying and sorrow made him want to grasp life even more firmly. But strangely, Bulma's words touched him most. She told him not to hold on, just for them. If dying would relieve him of the pain, then to leave this plane; they would all see him someday. If dying meant leaving peacefully, and not fighting for his life, he should not worry about leaving – it would be easier for them knowing that he left in peace. Gohan's Ki was fading, his heart rate was slowing…and then…he didn't know what had compelled it, he did not even know how, but his eyelids suddenly parted. He took in the image of those standing around him, before closing them once again. Slowly, his spirit drifted away…to where his father had been many times before.

Goten immediately began to cry worse than his mother. Gohan was…gone. It wouldn't sink in. No. Gohan would come back. He would be fine. Goten shook as Chi-chi picked him up and held him to her, though she looked as if she might collapse at any moment. Goku embraces both of them, crying himself. There was no way for him to lighten the situation. Not now. It did not feel like 2am. Time was standing still for them, also united in their grief. Vegeta stood, remarkably like a statue, holding on to Bulma and Trunks. Though he had done before, the prince could not cry for shock. Gohan had fought so many enemies, beaten Cell, only to be repaid for it by dying in a motorbike accident. It didn't add up.

"He's not in pain now…" Bulma sobbed into Vegeta's torso. She was as upset by the death as anyone. Memories kept flashing through her mind of the first time she had met Gohan…their journey to Namek together with Krillin…finding Cell in the time machine…the Cell games…him in his Saiyaman costume…He had been such a promising scholar, and such a promising fighter. So how come it had happened? How could fate have been so cruel as to take him? Bulma cried harder, her tears staining Vegeta's chest.

Gohan's body lay there, drenched in blood and expressionless. He had left so many loved ones behind without him, and for what? A motorbike ride ending in tragedy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Memories of Times Passed 

Neither Goku, Chi-chi nor Goten had slept since Gohan's death. Every time they drifted off, or began to, they were visited by memories of Gohan…lying there in hospital, dying. The funeral was to be held in only a matter of days; underneath the apple tree that Gohan had loved so, and held many memories from early on in his lifetime. Chi-chi often took to showing Goten old pictures of a young Gohan, and Goku could not seem to find the energy to train. A beat gathering of flowers and gifts had been set on the sidewalk outside Capsule Corp. Even Vegeta made no objection to the wreaths of carnations, bunches of roses and a certain Great Saiyaman helmet.

Every single student at Orange Star High knew of Gohan's death. A special assembly was held in the middle of the week, and the whole school was obliged to come. Videl did not know if she could take it. she could not prevent herself from crying desperately on somebody's – anybody's – shoulder. As the principal talked on about what a gifted student and athlete Gohan had been, and as so many of the students sobbed into their own hands, arrays of thoughts flashed through Videl's mind.

_Why did you have to leave me? _Her voice was the only one that echoed inside her head. _I love you, Gohan! Why did you leave me? _She hid her face in her hands, unable to listen to any more talk of Gohan.

It was even worse for Videl to have to endure walking past Gohan's empty locker. His classmates had plastered it with notes and photographs, and she had tom pass those pictures of Gohan's smiling face every day. She also had to sit next to his empty seat in class, unable to accept that Gohan would never sit there again. More unbearable still for her was when she was not at school. She could no longer bring herself to fight crime, as she and Gohan had worked so well as Saiyaman and Saiyagirl, but now she was just…Saiyagirl. She imagined the Tabloids for a split second. What would they say? **'Great Saiyaman is no more' **and right underneath it, another picture of Gohan, as Saiyaman this time. How could he leave her there on her own? How could he leave her?

Chi-chi sank down on the bed, unable to bring herself to do anymore work on the funeral. Goku followed her, after shushing a crying Goten to his restless sleep – he would only dream about Gohan again, but the young boy needed to sleep. Goku and Chi-chi sat silently for a while, thinking over the past week.

"Goku" Chi-chi cried, sobbing uncontrollably. She produced the photo album from under her pillow, and turned to the images of Gohan's eleventh birthday party. A bright-eyed boy stared back at her, holding tightly onto a telescope he had just unwrapped. His face showed the radiant, cheeky, and ever-present on Goku, Son grin. She had not known it, but those days meant so much to her. She could have dwelled on the past that she so desperately wanted back. It wasn't fair that Gohan should die in such a way, and that he should be taken so soon after he arrived at the hospital. Goku stared out of the window, his vision blurred with tears. He could see the lake…how many happy times had he spent there fishing with Gohan? One of the most memorable occasions had been shortly before the Cell Games. The time when he had remembered the promise that he, Gohan ands Krillin had made. _'Let's grow old and do it the natural way.'_ Krillin had said, all those years ago when Gohan had only been five. They all promised the same – to die naturally by growing old. Goku clutched Chi-chi even tighter as the tears began to slide even more harshly down his face.

The Sons stood beneath the apple tree; all wearing the same coal black shade of clothing and the same solemnity was etched on their faces. The others had yet to arrive from hundreds of miles away. The weather seemed to be sharing in the mood of depression like it did so often at funerals. There was no undertaker; this was a friends and family gathering to celebrate Gohan's life, and to bid their final goodbyes. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting and crying, the first few black-clad figures could be seen arriving across the horizon. Bulma's aircar landed on the grass and a tearful Bulma and Trunks emerged; followed by the same silent and subdued Vegeta as the night of Gohan's death. They seemed to be too upset to talk, and stood as silently as the Son family, waiting. Slowly, the friends and family began to drift towards the tree, and finally Piccolo, who looked deeply shaken. He was probably thinking the same thing as everyone else – how was it possible for Gohan to die in such a way? When everybody was gathered underneath the apple tree, those who could bring themselves to stood up to say a few words. Krillin was the first to rise, his face displaying obviously that he had been crying – something that he did not do often. As he began his speech, the poor guy was barely audible above Videl's – and most of the other's – sobs. The only others able to do it were Bulma, Piccolo and Goku. As each of them took their places, the others wept, not wanting to hear much more of Gohan's lifetime. Piccolo was the last once more; his voice deep and sorrowful like it so often was, but now even more so.

Slowly, Gohan's coffin was lowered into its rightful place at the base of the apple tree. With a knife, Goku carved the words into the tree trunk:

In loving memory of 

_Gohan Son_

Beloved son, grandson, older brother And friend. Rest in peace, Gohan. The gathering of friends and family headed towards he Son household for the wake. Almost every single one of them had cried more tears than they had done in their whole lives. The worst part, however, was enduring the sight of Videl's depression. These days, she was likely to yell at anyone who said even the slightest thing wrong. She was going to pieces, and even she knew it. In a sense, she just wanted her life to end, so that she could be with Gohan once more. It wasn't fair of him to leave her… Goten wanted more than ever to live up his older brother's memory. The seven year old would often find himself listening to some of Gohan's music, or else reading (or trying his best to) one of Gohan's favourite books. At dawn or dusk, the apple tree where Gohan was buried would often be visited by Goten. All that the little boy did was sit there…but he could remember. He could remember back to when he was just three years old, and a fourteen-year-old Gohan had taken him out to the lake for the day. "Dad used to love this place…" Gohan had told him, before diving into the water. Later, after drying off, Gohan had taught him a few fighting techniques. The young boy sighed, as he looked at the inscription on the tree, and then took off once more. Videl sat alone on her bed, sobbing into a photograph of Gohan. She could not take life any longer. But what more could she do? She remembered the heartbreak that Gohan's death had inflicted upon his loved ones…but just because she was famous didn't mean she was loved. She didn't want to live. She wanted to be with Gohan. Her father would not care; he only cared for his fortune and his fame. Hercule Satan was busy as usual, watching his glory days, and reliving them by yelling at the screen. Videl crept past him, on her way to his weaponry showcase. Very carefully, she drew a sword from its holder and took it back to her own well-furnished room. Hastily, she scribbled a suicide note. She pressed the note to her lips, before signing it and pointing the sword from the bed at her chest. The point quivered in her hand for a second…then…she plunged the tip in, and lay back…bleeding on the bed. She closed her eyes and waited for her soul to join Gohan's and for her life to finally end… 


End file.
